It was a Warwickshire derby for the Nuns on the weekend with Kenilworth visiting Liberty Way with both sides looking for a win. Having picked up a losing bonus point at Stourbridge last time out, the Nuns wanted to bounce back. Kenilworth came into the game winless from nine games but having faced them twice last season; the Nuns knew that they would have to prepare for a stern test. The pack remained the same as the last game but a number of changes in the backline saw Mike Volaikisuva and Lucas Brindley start at half backs for the first time this season, Ryan Preston returned in the centre after a concussion and Travis Bennett-Allcock moved to full back. On the bench was Nemani Rayabo who has re-joined the club. The Nuns came away with a 49-7 victory with tries from Harry Beverley, Aaron Esiri, Mike Volaikisuva, Travis Bennett-Allcock, Martin Wood, Tak Chawadya and Tom Aherne. Lucas Brindley had a faultless day with the boot adding all seven conversions.

On a mild afternoon with little wind, the pitch was a little soft but conditions were good for the match.

The Nuns started on the front foot and from the first scrum set the tone when winning an early penalty. They set up camp in the visitors 22m and they struggled to clear their lines. The Nuns laid early siege in attack and eventually, Beverley slipped through his man from 5m out to score under the posts. Brindley added his first conversion and to open the score 7-0 after 11 minutes.

To their credit, Kenilworth came back and were next to score. Having made an initial line break and got to within 5m’s of the try line they kept some possession and recycled ball before dotting down from close range. Conversion added and the score was 7-7 after 16minutes.

The Nuns were next to score and it came from a turned over ball. Ken’s lost the ball forward and Esiri picked up the loose ball tracking back. He turned and then rounded his man before sprinting in from 60m out to score under the posts, with the conversion the lead was 14-7 after 24 minutes.

This lead was soon extended when from a turned over line out on half way, Volaikisuva sniped through from a ruck 40m out, rounded the last defended and scored under the posts. Converted by Brindley to lead 21-7 after 28mins.

The half finished with the Nuns on top in territory and possession but they couldn’t extend their lead any further.

On 48 minutes the Nuns secured their fourth try and with it an attacking bonus point. They’d started the half on the front foot again and after a series of tight carries from the pack Brindley made a half break and fed the ball inside to Bennett-Allcock to score from 10m out. Brindley added the conversion to leave the score 28-7.

Kenilworth came back with a series of attacks but couldn’t get too close to score. The Nuns repelled and then broke back up field with some neat offloading when on the front foot breaking from one 22m line into the other but a late knock on denied a score opportunity 10m from the line.

The Nuns continued to pressurise the visitors line and made their scrum dominance count when Wood dotted down after the pack had driven the visitors back over their line. Brindley converted and the score was 35-7 after 60 minutes.

The hosts were reduced to 14 men when Addleton picked up a yellow card for a high tackle but Kenilworth couldn’t take advantage of this.

The next score for the Nuns came in the 73rd minute and it was a full length of the pitch effort. From a 5m line out a ruck was set up. Preston then came on a short line off of the ruck to carry the ball up to the Nuns 10m; he offloaded to the supporting Oli Mitchell who took it on another 20m before offloading to Bennett-Allcock. He took it on to the Ken’s 22m and fed Chawadya who finished off the move. Brindley converted to push the lead to 42-7.

Straight from the kick off, Haywood collected the ball and fed Captain Aherne who rampaged through from a full 60m swatting off a couple of would be tackles. Brindley added his 7th conversion to take the score 49-7 on 75 minutes.

As the game played out Addleton picked up a second yellow card to put a blot on the afternoons proceedings.

The Saxons back up their previous win with a 19-10 victory at Veseyans RFC in another strong performance.

After the game, Head Coach Huw Thomas added “Really happy with a lot of things from today’s game. We improved our accuracy at times and got seven tries from across the pitch and showed threats in the tight and out wide. We improved our accuracy second half and I was really pleased with the defensive effort not to concede in the second half. Kenilworth are having a tough time but they have still been scoring some points so we shut them out well. It’s also great for the Saxons to back up their last win with another good result this weekend. Plenty more to come from the whole squad.”

1 Ryan Marsh 2 Louis Addleton 3 Ben Dawes 4 Ben Haywood 5 Tom Aherne 6 Jack Iles 7 Rudi Reid 8 Martin Wood 9 Mike Volaikisuva 10 Lucas Brindley 11 Arron Esiri 12 Ryan Preston 13 Harry Beverley 14 Tak Chawadya 15 Travis Bennett-Allcock; 16 James Redman 17 Oli Mitchell 18 Nemani Rayabo